Vehicles may contain rocker panels that are located below the vehicle doors. The rocker panels may cover the sides of the vehicle frame and may be covered by a rocker molding. In certain conditions, ice and/or snow may accumulate on the rocker moldings, adjacent to the lower edge of the car doors. Such accumulated ice and/or snow may impede the opening of the vehicle door, thereby making it more difficult for an occupant of the vehicle to exit the vehicle or for a person outside of the vehicle to enter the vehicle. In order to open a door inhibited by such ice/snow accumulation on some rocker moldings, a great deal of shear force may be required to break the bond between the ice and the rocker molding. The shear force required to break the bond between the ice and the rocker molding is typically greater than the shear force required to break the ice itself.
Accordingly, a need exists for alternative structures of vehicle rocker moldings which do not substantially inhibit the opening of a vehicle door when ice an/or snow accumulates on the rocker molding.